SECRET: John says, “Then I saw,” an important and reoccurring phrase inRevelation (4:1; 7:1, 9; 15:5; 18:1; 19:1, 11, 17, 19; 20:1, 4, 11; 21:1).What did he see? He saw “another mighty angel.” Angels are mentionedmore than 60 times in Revelation, mighty or strong angels 3 times (5:2;10:1; 18:21). The angel, coming down from heaven, is described as“mighty” perhaps because he is both majestic (v. 1) and mammoth (v. 2,5, 8). Demons ascend out of the abyss in chapter 9, but this angel asGod’s servant, descends from above. He comes to earth with greatauthority as God’s ambassador.The description of the angel recalls the vision of the exalted Christ 1:12-16. However, this is not Christ but His heavenly representative. Somethink it could possibly be “Michael, the great prince…” [IT IS NOT!]. Regardless, the 4-fold description is the most detailed and majesticof any angel in Scripture. “Surrounded (ESV,“wrapped”) by a cloud” symbolizes glory, majesty and power. It recallsthe coming of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14. God led Israel by acloud (Exodus 16:10). Dark clouds covered Sinai when the law wasgiven (Exodus 19:9). God appeared to Moses in a cloud of glory(Exodus 24:15; 34:5). Indeed the Bible says in Psalm 104:3, “[He]makes the clouds His chariot, who walks on the wings of the wind.”